Long story. I'm gonna get to it but it's a bit of a slog so the short of it is we have a property that we're looking to move onto shortly. We have a trailer that's practically new (2021 built) and we're gonna winter in it. Washington weather here is pretty mild for winters. Just wet for the most part and windy. We're trying to set up power on this property as it's been completely disconnected. This is DAUNTING, we have a tree guy who is supposed to be helping us out soon and someone with an excavator to dig a trench. Also some of you guys don't know but I'm mostly not the one who brings down trees but I do on occasion cut them up. Would rather be on a legally safe side with this one. Next order of business is living in this trailer to take care of the current house on this property by tearing it down. It has a wonky foundation and a rather expensive scenario prompted us to just go with tearing it down and build a new house completely. Now with that out of the way. Trailer in the winter. I've only done skiing up in the mountains and staying in an rv in a cold spot isn't new to me so I understand this pretty well. However this is a trailer so I'm hoping someone has some experiences that they can pass on if they know different. When you know there's severe freezing weather coming, do you fill up the internal tank for drinking water and other uses? I can share more about the trailer but it is insulated underneath so I feel the need to ask if this insulation is only good for a few days of cold. The heating vents are under the floor so I also wonder if that buys the time in a way to keep the fresh tank from freezing. Plumbing question: I don't plan to dump the gray and black water tanks unless I absolutely need to but I do understand to do black first and then gray if I do and never leave the black open. Do these tanks have something I should add to it to keep this ounce of prevention (freezing) in check? I thank you in advance!
I RV’d all over the US and parts of Canada in my job year round. Didn’t have a house for 3 years even. I’ll think of some things and get them to you. There’s a lot that should be done. Nothing like removing a panel behind a bed at 5 am to use a hair dryer on a frozen water line in minus degree weather! Insulate the underneath! Skirting whether hay bales or insulated foam panels. One of those old fashioned incandescent 100 watt bulbs under the tanks area helps keep the area a little warmer. Better hoard a few. They are going to quit making incandescent bulbs soon I hear. Insulate the water line with wrap that has insulation and heat tape built in. Reflective material ( like windshield dash covers you put in) cut to window size inside unneeded windows and plastic window wrap on the inside of every window. Let the tanks stay as full as possible helps them hold heat. As soon as you dump, run about a 1/4 tank of water back in. Tires up on 2x8s help keep it from sinking in or freezing to the ground. Condensation will be PITA inside. With heat and you breathing inside it’s hard to control. Ventilation and a towel handy to wipe stuff off helps. Oil deicer in every lock and latch regularly. Or they freeze. The heater goes through propane like crazy. Always have extra tanks to swap. I liked the larger ones that I could still load in the truck alone to go get filled. We used a Big Buddy heater when awake but never asleep to minimize the inefficient built in heater use. Carbon monoxide is a big killer of RV people. Don’t be stupid. Electric blanket or heating pads helps at night. Along with some pajamas. I’ll add as I think of more. Lenny Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sounds daunting indeed. I've done a little roughing it in cold weather, but certainly not for months on end. I think it would be wise to not underestimate the mental aspect of the situation. Living in a trailer while the house is being torn down/built is stressful enough in good weather, never mind during the cold, short, dark days of winter. The mind can go deep into a rabbit hole under those conditions. At some point for you and your family's sanity you might need a night or two in a warm hotel, to feel civilized again. Other than that, it sounds like Lennyzx11 gave you some solid advice on the practical/technical side of things.
Size of trailer and # of people? Buddy did this in Vermont while building his house. Hay bales are your friend! Can you get a bigger LP tank and have it filled on site? Smoke and CO detectors please!
Make sure it’s big enough that you can have one end and her the other. Can’t deny you don’t have those days.
Get one of these types of heaters. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pelonis...rhNi4nQJFEBoChu8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#overlay I've stayed in our camper during some chilly nights, most notably a deer hunting weekend when it guy stern to single digits. We chewed through a full 30 Lb propane tank with the built in camper heater. Once it gets dark to nights where it freezes, we don't use any water in the camper though, so I can't help there. Our 30' camper doesn't have any insulation though, so I know that didn't help. That weekend of very cold weather for deer hunting had all of the windows frosty and iced up. That's was with only 2 people. Like CBVT mentioned, hay bales and any way to keep cold air out from under the camper will be huge. What kind of temperature are you looking at? Average lows?
Speaking of windows frosting up it would be worth using a window insulating kit on the RV windows if possible
Lennyzx11, thank you for the awesome input, at least half of your suggestions I hadn't even thought about yet. I actually have on site, a bunch of local hay for our animals. I planned on making a skirting all around the trailer as well so I might just get those hay bales under for extra protection and put some rat and mouse traps to put that to rest a bit. Funny how you mention light bulbs... someone got rid of a bunch of them recently so we're sitting pretty with that. I also run a dehumidifier in the current place, need to clean that out again and that'll help a lot of condensation. Plus a small fan as well. Too bad I can't just get a small wood stove that they use on sailboats without having to cut a hole in the trailer. Plus my honey wouldn't love that. I'm hoping to use less built-in heater and more plug in heater but run the heater once in awhile so it at least gets circulated. We want to get power on this place before we move out there. The rest will click at that point. I have been trying to collect LP gas tanks but one big one I found turned out to be too old and might need to throw down on a new one of that size. Plus we plan on cooking a lot outside anyway. Many thanks!
You're absolutely right, I have plans to make an extention of our trailer for uses so that not only we'll plan to use the trailer for home but a shed next to it that'll house our fridge, freezer, washer and dryer, hot water heater (I hope to find a tankless one) in a 15x10 foot and then other possibilities like an outdoor shower. Been collecting all kinds of wood and lumber like crazy for the past couple months as we've had access to it. The more projects, the better to keep us busy. I'm building the girls their hobby hut and will have a stove in there for them. No shortage of things to do around here since animals will be moved as well. It seems overwhelming but for a tiny place in the world....I choose this piece of peace. It's dramatically quieter than where we are now. Yes this current place is bigger but the property has more potential for enjoyment overall than a place that has given us more grief since we're not able to grow with it. I'll be able to share some photos down the line and work on those creature comforts. Thanks
The trailer itself is 37 feet from stern to tongue. Interior is 34 feet. Wanna know what was the kicker for the sale? 2 bathrooms, one toilet on each end of the trailer. 3 of us, my lady, my daughter who is 7 and myself with our 2 dogs. Cats will have to stay in the garage/shop but it's ample enough for them. The trailer has a solid slide out. Queen bed in front. Bunks in the rear. Gonna need to figure out daughter's area a bit, I get worried about condensation big time since that was something that gets really apparent in the cold and cheap rv windows. Definitely thinking about those tanks and alarms too. I don't wanna be in a trailer that doesn't have good circulation since the insulation is only R7. But hay is on site and I'm elated with this idea. Thanks Lennyzx11.
So winter has had some temps recently fall around 20⁰F last year. It was a long cold snap that lasted over a week and snow was almost an accumulated 3 feet. Warmed up some during the day but not much above freezing and then it went away. The lows more average 40-45 but out there may be even cooler. That being said, it's preventative from here on out. I'm watching an auction with that Prestodish heater on the block but should look into an oil one as well. I'm also looking at a kerosene heater for emergency blast heat as well same auction.
Especially since rv windows are single pane. I've invested also in some very decent wipes for this place so we're not getting this cling and crap that comes with condensed water on windows. Plan to get some fans to keep the air moving.
I didn't think it was fair that you guys provided with me great advice and not have something to share so here are some stock photos but it's exactly the same plus lay out. Its a Heartland Prowler 315bh
on our previous camper, I added a switch to the hot line on the furnace fan so I could run just the fan to help keep warm(ish) air moving in the belly. We’d run three small space heaters and the built in lectric fireplace when it was extra chilly out. I did have lines freeze when it was only 20f ish out, and had bought 2” foam and planned to re-insulate the underbelly and make it more winter friendly but wised up and quit camping in the winter. But for temporary living, as long as you have a good power supply, run extra cords thru slide out gaskets or added basement grommets so you can keep space heaters separated. Most of my thoughts were already stated above. Good luck but try and enjoy it
Not sure what is available to you but if you can use already existing wind blocks, buildings-trees-hill anything, it will make everything easier. Heat won't be sucked away, skirting won't end up blowing away/around, and it is nice not being woke in the middle of the night feeling the wind rocking the camper.
The area where we are setting the trailer down by is likely in a wind tunnel. Just going to position it so the sheer is less and bring that skirting around. Also while there are trees around, they mostly border the fences while the middle is quite open.
Just bought it. Unfortunately we're not on power yet. Glad I bought a generator months ago. We're using a Firman generator from Costco, tri fuel. Costco is sold out already at least online anyway. We have colder weather coming our way soon due next week as temps are likely to get around freezing and below. The trailer is just in a spot where it is level now and will be moved later to be in its permanent spot. Which is still being decided.
I saw one at an online auction, not even new and it was going for 300 dollars. I'd need solid convincing before I touch another piece of technology for managing heat...
As expensive as electricity is and the rate those 1500 watt heaters gobble it up that might pay for itself even with $5 off road?
